CNTRL ASCND DEL .3
I’ve never really considered myself as a bike packing kinda guy. As a guide I was spoilt, we catered for high net worth guests, sometimes money no object trips, Michelin starred restaurants, Five star + hotels and even private jets on occasion. I very easily got used to it. Even just the luxury of a follow car with rain gear and food to support the riders was the norm. Sadly due to the Pandemic and Brexit all that ended and I found myself having to pay for my own travel, food and hotels, outrageous!
I’d always associated bike packing with ultra distance racing at events like the Trans Continental and Further. Seeing friends loading up for a week or so of suffering, sleeping in bus stops and cemeteries, shitting in the woods, being chased by wild dogs and some of the injuries, call me a diva but no thanks.
Cycling for me has always been about the escape, the mental space being outside on my bike gives me. Even when I was guiding there’d always be moments when I’d pinch myself, I’d have very little on my mind and be able to soak in my surroundings. The clean air, lack of noise the buzz from a decent or pain from a climb and the views. The memories these created have lasted forever. I could go on for ages.
It’s what motivates my riding, for the last three years I’ve tried to plan a week away on the cheap. I’ve picked places I’m kind of familiar with or join up a few all with the aim of resetting and recharging. That’s where the CNTRL ALT DEL comes in, a hard restart, escape the noise and clear my head.
I guess it all started when I had my last episode in 2022 Karen and Spencer Martin of La Ferme des Belugas gave me an escape when the Dr’s cleared me. I had a week riding around Provence and Ventoux and although I wasn’t bike packing I was just smashing myself everyday the freedom had a huge positive impact on my recovery and motivated me to get away more often.
The next trip I decided to bike pack in Italy, see a load of industry friends Luigi Bergamo (Q36.5), Cristina and Pietro (Pegoretti), Francesca and Alberto (UDOG) and head to some of my favourite places, 1100 km from Verona - Bolzano - Verona - Bologna - Florence and back. It was late February (dumb ass) across the Apennines I hit full on wintery conditions, snow, fog and rain. The plains across Emilia Romagna were grim, full on head winds and driving rain but then I made it to my beloved Toscana and the world was good again. I wrote about that trip HERE
I couldn’t tell you much about the daily routes, speeds or distances but I can regale forever about the weather, the food and the ridiculousness of it all.
Similarly last year in May I headed to Girona and escaped pretty quickly for the Pyrenees. A fairly short four day ride North to Molo and Vallter 2000, guess what… it snowed again.
Both of those trips gave me the space and time to be with myself and do what I enjoy and reset my head after some troubled times.
This year I’m in a completely different space. I’m good, I don’t think I need the space but I’ve learned to enjoy these rides and this style of riding. I’m not covering huge distances, I’m not trying to challenge myself physically, although to be fair the Col de la Bonette is a massive challenge and being May the weather could be horrific.
My route takes me from La Ferme des Beluges in La Barroux, Karen and Spencer again helping me out. I’ll drop my bike box there, grab dinner and head out from there the next day. I’m aiming to hit the Bonette on the second day and get about a third of the way up and find accommodation on the day. The third day I’ll go over the top and ride down to Nice, if the weathers too bad I’ll skip the summit which would be a shame but I’m not into risking it I’m there to enjoy myself.
The leg back to Bedoin takes me through Grasse and Saint Cezaire, where I spent a couple of seasons as a base when I worked for La Fuga. The final days are lumpy but there’s no “major” climbs. I’m hoping being a bit lower than the outward legs the I should be able to feel the heat and that wonderful dry air in my face.
The full route’s HERE. I’m aiming to pack as light as possible but I suspect I’ll have to bring a couple of extra layers for the Bonette.
Feels a bit weird doing one of these trips being mentally and physically in good shape. I don’t fell like I’m escaping or running away. I guess some people call trips like this “holidays”. Maybe it won’t snow or rain but then would it feel the same if I wasn’t stood somewhere laughing on the side of the road and would the memories be as strong?
My kit for the ride is the following.
Q36.5 Adventure Cargo Bibs, Gregarius Pro Jersey, Rain Shell and of course the Wind Shell
Van Rysel RCR Pro
Brooks England Scap bags
Last time I rode the Bonette was on my AFGO (Another Fucking Growth Opportunity) with Francis Cade in 2020. One of the best days on a bike ever.